Bad draw produces great win

By Michael Howard (HRV)

Bold investment received big rewards as the Staroftheshow lived up to his name, breaking his maiden status with a rich victory at Tabcorp Park Melton.

Last Saturday amid threatening rain, the APG Gold Bullion finals headlined a great card of racing, with Sahara Breeze taking out the $100,000 three-year-old fillies final and mare Petillante the four-year-old showdown, while the three-year-old boys title also produced some very happy owners.

With talented former Victorian horseman Nathan Purdon, Steven Tsalikidis and Daniel Girardi’s Greengate Investments put their paddle up for lot number 299 at the 2021 Melbourne Australian Pacing Gold sales.

He was the third last yearling sold and their patience paid off, with Staroftheshow rewarding their $58,000 investment with victory in the nights APG Gold Bullion final for three-year-old colts and geldings, a win that secured $57,000 for first place.

Racing for trainer Emma Stewart and driver Kate Gath, it was a win that few saw coming, due in large part to the Vincent colt’s tricky gate 11 draw, but as the adage goes it was only a bad draw on paper.

“It was a great thrill and the owners are here, so that’s what it’s about,” Gath told TrotsVision after winning by 1.7 metres on the $31 shot.

Gath eased back to last while Roryville and Will He Reign poured on the pace at the front of affairs, with a bristling first quarter prompting the leading reinswoman to transition from Plan A to B.

“I thought that we would be driving him for luck and then the 26.9 first quarter changed that – no point driving to the fence then,” she said.

“We don’t run races like this often in Victoria where the first quarter’s so quick, once that happens drawing 11’s pretty good, it’s nearly the place you want to be. That worked out well for us.”

When the leaders tired Mister Hunter picked up the running a long way from home, while Staroftheshow advanced three wide around Gawn, who loomed as a leading threat.

The chasing pair ran down Mister Hunter and it was Staroftheshow who boxed on the best, scoring by 1.7 metres from Gawn, who brought the top price at the 2021 sale.

“He just travelled so good the whole way,” Gath said of the winner. “I was wider than I wanted to be on the last corner because he was bolting and running out a bit and I couldn’t keep him down, it didn’t really matter because he was really good to the line.”

The victory was Staroftheshow’s first in his 12th trip to the track, having previously registered three placings.

“He’s not much to look at,” Gath said. “He’s good gaited, doesn’t go rough, but he’s a bit awkward. But he was just full of running tonight.

“His form leading into this race wasn’t bad, but barrier 11 over the short made it what we thought was impossible to win, but as the race panned out the way it did it wasn’t. I think he was over the odds, but his draw played a part in that as well.”